Floral Bedding

I was just thinking.......very dangerous. I wrap my beautiful baby boy in a floral wrap, there are many reasons...

They are my favourite wraps,
They were less than half price,
We were told he was going to be a girl....


I was feeling a little guilty and then I started thinking. Once he gets married he will probably spend 8 hours a day in floral bedding anyway.

This raises the question, how many of you have floral bedding, and who considers their husband and has something a little more gender neutral in the bedroom?

I have one floral and one stripes. The stripes are more for emergencies though, the floral doona cover usually gets washed and returned to the bed that same day.


It's not floral in the traditional sense, the flowers are machine embroidered and there is some hand beading in the centre of each peony (that's apparently what they are).

So tell me, floral or not?

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Some Crafting Supplies

Spotty had some great sales last week. Fat quarters for $2 and 50% off yarn.






What should I do with these fat quarters, I keep thinking I bought 6 but alas there are only 5. They are not really suited to my house but they were oh so gorgeous and calling my name. Perhaps I could make a gift, or even a giveaway???






With this I am going to make one of these



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Limited creativity

It seems lately the only thing I have been creative with is food. Cupcakes, bread, chocolate chip cookies. And I finally worked out how to cook a decent steak.




This is a lime cupcake that I am snacking on after I have put all the kids in bed. Unfortunatly it's not quite peaceful yet. I am still shushing them every 10 seconds.

Next I have to tackle the debris left behind the three little tornados that were confined to the house today.


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Best Bread Yet

This is my best bread yet!



I tweaked the recipe a bit.

I started with a large bag of defiance bread making flour just from the supermarket. I pretty much followed the recipe on the bag but I gave discovered a few things.

- Weigh the ingredients!!!
- Make the water hot but not burning (lukewarm water cools down too quickly)
- Oil the inside of the gladwrap used to cover the loaf
- I prefer to make a Cobb loaf thus avoiding the bread getting stuck in the tin.
- Use cornmeal to dust the baking tray.
- Dust the top of the bread with flour instead of glazing. (just my preference)

In addition to these things I replaced the sugar with honey, I had to use slightly more honey than sugar. I also used olive oil in preference to butter. I much prefer the taste of this bread.

Now that I am more confident I intend to try a few different recipes from the Internet. Occaisionally u will let you know how it is going.

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My Creative Space

I know I am late but I have been very busy. I have been baking bread... Well, trying to

This is my latest effort. Not too bad. You should have seen yesterdays, it resembled a very firm brick!

I decided that perhaps the tin was too blame (of couse it wasn't my fault) so we went for the Cobb today. So funny, I peeked in the oven half way through, this time my bread resembled a large mushroom.

Alot harder to slice when it actually rises, I need to be on the look out for an electric knife. They often show themselves at op-shops and garage sales.

I left the dough to prove for about 8 hours today. This wasn't intended, I popped out quickly and ended up gallavanting all over the country side, all afternoon. Anyway, the dough smelt like beer when I returned, and the bread tastes like sour dough, YUM!

Unfortunately it's nearly all gone. Tomorrow I will make 2.....

'tis the Season.....for Giveaways

Another fab giveaway over here.

All you have to do is come up with the best caption for this picture....easy.

Another Giveaway

Take a second to visit The Vintage Sheet Blog for your cahnce to win a ruffled quilt pattern.  I couldn't link to a picture, but, trust me they are fabulous.

A Quilt Giveaway

No sorry.....not mine.

This lovely blogger has crated this amazing quilt from vintage pillow cases.

Pop over to Works in Progress for your chance to win

Apricot and Almond Slice

No matter how hard I try I cannot take a good shot with this iPhone. It's probably their way of getting you to buy all the photography apps......no I am probably just a crap photographer.

There is something wrong with my real camera, there is a big purple blotch on the screen, like when you get a speaker to close to a television. I figured it was just the screen, but no, there are big purple blotches on every photo. I think maybe the kids got it too close to a magnet, or perhaps they got it wet, who knows.....

Anyway, the purpose of this post was that museli slice, I was lucky to get a photo before it was all gone.

I borrowed the recipe off this lovely lady, but I tweaked it a little. I had no raw sugar so I used brown sugar, and we are not fans of sultanas so I chopped up some apricots and chucked in a few almonds instead.

It is really tasty and a bit chewy and over-all quite scrummy.

Better drink my tea before it gets cold, oh and that's the mug I got at the oppy the other day, my favourite now.

A Winter Activity

What better indoor activity for a 4 year old than play dough? And it is cheap and easy to make yourself. Here's how...

The recipe is on the cream of tartar packet but I do mine a little different.

Ingredients:-
2 cups plain flour
4 tbs cream of tartar
2 tbs cooking oil
1 cup salt
2 cups boiling water
Food dye


Mix flour, tartar, oil, salt and boiling water together with a wooden spoon till it looks like this.


Then turn it out onto the bench and start kneading. Be careful cause it is hot. Divide into portions for different colours.


Now the kids can help, but this can be a little messy. Make a well in the centre of the dough and add several drops of food colouring.


Fold it in until the dough is evenly coloured. Tada, play dough.


I like to make one ball of each of the primary and secondary colours.

Now I can have some peace. And when I find it not put away and left all over the place I don't mind just throwing it away, cause it didn't cost the earth. It will last several weeks if kept in ziplock bags in the fridge.

Aurevior


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Bubble and Squeak

I was looking at the left over roast vegies today at lunch time wondering what to do with them, should I put them in a frittata? hang on not enough eggs. maybe I should just heat them up in the microwave? too unappetising, reheated potatoes leave something to be desired. What about bubble and squeak? YEAH!

Boy this brings back memories, mum always made a Sunday roast, and Monday lunch was usually bubble and squeak. So I chucked it all in a pan and listened to the bubble and squeak.

YUM!

Unfortunately there were no good photos, not very photogenic my bubble and squeak. So I thought maybe I could link to a good recipe, but it's not the kind of thing that you use a recipe for, so instead here is a link to what wikipedia has to say about bubble and squeak.

Do you bubble and squeak???

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My Style

I was reading Anna's blog, and it got me thinking about MY style.

What is my style???

Well, I think if my circumstances were different my style would be different.

I have three kids and we are a single income family. My husband is now on a wage as compared to previously being self-employed.

I would say my style could be called, budget, thrifty, frugal, and what ever other words mean cheap. I like to buy whatever fabric is on sale at Spotlight.

The quilt that is sitting on my machine at the moment includes denim and gingham, cause you get more for your money, and what ever quilting fabrics were in the $5 pile. I do like it, but if my budget were unlimited it would look completely different. and it would befilled with bamboo batting.

I can't justify paying full price for yarn so I lookout for good jumpers to unravel. so far I have only done one. I have recently discovered Bendigo Woolen Mills and feel that their prices are quite affordable.

Oh, and lately, I feel that alot of op-shops charge too much. The other day an op-shop wanted $3 for a crochet hook. I got a new one for about $5. And, I saw a young man go out the back with a little ceramic trinket box at my local Vinnies, he soon emerged and reported to the lady at the desk that the trinket box would fetch $30 on eBay. She quickly responded, "oh, we had better put $25 on it then", not much of an opportunity there if you ask me!!!

Anyway, if budget weren't an issue, my style would be completely different.

Here are a few things that I love regardless of price...




This girls spring wrap can be found here.









The two gorgeous quilts above have now been sold, but the beautiful blue one below is available here.




And that outfit below was created by Kate from Foxs Lane and I do wish it was for sale.

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Op-Shopping

Well so much for sewing today, maybe later tonight. I went op-shopping instead.



This is everything, a heap of vintage pillow cases which I intend to use for patchwork. I was inspired to do this after spotting the complete yumminess over at at The Vintage Sheet.



This badge has to be one of my favourite things I came home with. It's not vintage but it's oh so cute. I should have for more than one, I can just tell there will be fights over it.



These forks are fantastic, we had one of these when I lived at home, and it was my favourite.



A china mug cause I hate stonewear. But with 3 kidletts crockery is always being chipped and broken. There are a few buttons in a jar and a pink cashmere sweater that hopefully will find a new life as something for one of mygirls.

There is lots of other lovlies hiding in there. I think some of them might find their way into an envelope for meet me at mikes exciting envelope project.

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My Creative Space

Today I am planning on finishing this reversible denim and flannel pinny for my big girl. I would have loved to fill it and quilt it but I think I will save that for the next one.



I am also hoping to get some more of this quilted. Next one I will send away to be quilted. Or try an easier pattern. This crazy quilting takes forever.....I do like the finish though.....:0)

My Creative Space is hosted by Kootoyoo.
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I Am So Impressed

It might sound like I'm bragging but I don't care. They are gorgeous, and one of a kind, and comfy and they are just sooo cute!



The leggings are cute even by themselves. And it doesn't look too bad with the two matching pieces together. I am so thrilled. I love it when something works. And I get so much joy out of seeing my kids wear something that I have made.

What have you made lately?

Up-cycled Sweater

I ran up this skirt and leggings late last-night. I used a top of mine that had shrank in the wash. It's the first time I have re-purposes a knit and might I say I quite enjoyed it.

I don't intend for these to be worn together but no doubt my girl will have other ideas. I used the sleeves for the leggings, and because they are for a four year old, I added a gussett to get the extra waist room.

I just love the way they have turned out BUT, she hasn't tried them on yet....... We'll wait and see I they fit.

I have some more to post today, including my creative space so I'll catch you again later.

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Family Outing

Lastnight we took the family to the drive-in (http://drivein.net.au/) to see Shrek (i think it's number 4).
The girls loved it, not just the movie, but the whole experience.
I would thoroughly recommend it as a family outing.

Sunday Pancakes

Well it's Sunday morning again, and what do you think my family loves for breakfast? Pancakes!






As long as I can remember I have made up my own recipe for pancakes. I have tweaked it here and there to get pancakes that are yummy and don't cost the earth.

Here is my recipe for pancakes:-
1 cup flour
1 egg
1tbs melted butter
1 tbs sugar
1 cup of milk
All measurements are approximate and I often make double. Mix together and pour large spoonfuls into a greased pan on low heat. Wait for bubbles to appear and flip. Cook till golden brown on both sides. Serve with your choice of maple syrup, jam and cream or lemon and sugar.

ENJOY!!!!


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Pear Flan

Lastnight we made this..... The recipe is from here..... and the idea was from Retromummy.....

As you can probably tell the photo is not mine but is taken from Frills in the Hills.

It was so yummy and has no butter which is fantastic for the hips.

One down.....

It's not quite what I had envisioned to begin with but I think perhaps it's nicer. To get it together in a hurry I cut 6 inch strips of my various fabrics ( all of which were in my stash ).

I then randomly cut the strips into chunks. Next I sewed the pieces together into one long strip. When that was done I cut it into 90 cm lengths. These were sewn together randomly also. It's a bit unfortunate that so many white pieces landed next to each other.

Then I pinned the quilt sandwich together. For the backing I used some shirting material from my stash and the quilt is filled with two layers of the wool blanket I got from the oppy. Actually, out of my purchases yesterday the only things I have used is the blanket and some of the red gingham. I could have saved some money.

I quilted along the horizontal lines. This was very fast and keeps the quilt together nicely. I found a quilting tutorial on YouTube to help with the corners of the binding. My corners still aren't great but they will do nicely.

Now I have to make the underlay which shouldn't take too long at all. I shall keep it for tonight when my monsters are all asleep.

It's all well and good to finish a quilt in one sitting but you seriously do not want to see the state of my house. Not only have I neglected the housework and left the kids to their own devices, it's also pouring so they can't even go outside. Consequently they have made some glue from flour and water and pasted all the fabric scraps onto reams and reams of letter paper.



This is one of my 4 year olds artworks drying in front of the fire.

Well the house might be messy, and I might not have had a shower yet, but it certainly has been a productive Saturday..... and that is what I like.

Till next time friends.....

P.S. Next time I will be sure to take progress shots.

Good Intentions.......

This is going to be a cot quilt and underlay for my dear baby boy. I purchased a double woolen blanket from one of my fave op-shops where the lovely lady gave me a discount. Half is for the quilt an half for the underlay.

The fabric is some navy cotton drill, and some gingham. I want to put an appliqué of some sort on the quilt. I hope to have both finished tonight. I think I might dig up some light blue denim I think I have left over from the other quilt. That's right, the one I haven't finished yet.

This is an emergency though. Hurley baby is moving into a cot and I simply must have a nice comfy woolen underlay for him.

I priced a woolen underlay at adairs, $77. And I imagine a nice quilt would be up there too. This lot cost me $37. Quite a saving I think.

Hopefully you will hear from me later tonight with a finished product.

Time to get cracking.....

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Op shops and bargains

Well let's see, what have we been up to???

Yesterday Savers had a half price sale. It was so crowded I felt claustrophobic. However, I managed to brave the childrens section.




Here are a few things I bought for Paisley.




And a few things I found for Monet.

They are mostly really good brands or practically brand new.

I only spent $25.

I also got Hurley an awesome little outfit from Myer. It's baby Bardot. Would normally cost over $70 but it was ours for $28. Pretty good I thought.




Abientot, catch you later.

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